The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-05-03

the berg. or how long they had been |
afoat, it was of course impossible to |
tell: but the mate figured from the |
wear and tear of the big lump OF ice |
that it had been weeks 1t sea. AT any |
rate. the bears seemed greatly ratified
at the sight of US, shrinking against the
wall and whining like dogs aS soon rs
fire was opened. They were both down
after seven or eig ht shots.
You will mind that the ship was to
windward of the berg and two miles
away. We had pulled around To the
lee side, and were consequently out OF
SIGHT of the vessel. We had downed
the bears and were looking for place
TO make the boat fast in order to get at
the carcasses. when, as suddenly as If
tou had clapped blanket over it, the
sun was obscured, there was sharp
puff of wind, and next moment it
was showing as it only SHOWS on
dreary Cape Horn ut the right season
of the year. The whole heavens
were Overspread in no time, and
we could not see the water twenty feet
away. The ship had seen the squall
gathering and fired guns for us before
We shot the bears, but the booming OF
the waves around Us had shut out all
other sounds. When / said that the
shin was TO windward of the berg, and
that it was also j dead calm, meant
that she was on the side from which
the waves were running. We had
taken her bearings by compass as we
rounded the corner of the berg, and
now as the storm came on We settled
into our seats for strong pull. The
squall had come up with the run OF the
waves, so that as soon as we had
rounded the berg we found ourselves
facing such a whirl of snow aS you can
scarcely imagine, while the waves be-
gan to take on their white crests and
to run with greater strength. We
knew that the ship could not remain
stationary. and that the chances OF our
running across her in that storm were
not one i'm a thousand; but every man
had shut his teeth OH the worst when
the mate brought out the bottle OF
whisky from the stern locker and said:
Now, lads, pull at the bottle all
around. We are in an awkward nix, to
be sure, but I've been in far worse, and
am here to prove that | came out all
right. Give me 4 strong stroke and
I'll put YOU aboard of the Nestal in hall
an hour."
II was wonderful how much hi:
words cheered Us up. and we sent tho
boat ahead As if we had sighted
whale. We had pulled good foul
miles from the berg when Mr.. Wharton
ordered us to cease rowing, and after
drift of ten or fifteen minutes he said
Lads, we have somehow missed th'
ship. and must make the best of it
The storm won't break for hours yet
and our only hope is to find the bi:
berg again and make fast under its lee
Round with the boat, and let ever
man keep up stout heart. D."
He wasn't sure that he had the bear
ings of the berg. being as we ha'
drifted away to the southwest. but afte
a long and fatiguing pull. with tn
furry so dense that we could not see
boats length away, we finally hear
the breaking of the surf on the berg
We then ran down its. north face unit
. we turned the corner, and were soon q
: the very shelf on which the bears lai
. dead. Haying been cruising anon
/ ha fcr Is
vided with ice anchors, and after a Ii
1 tie we made fast, veered the boat
u q safe distance, and then rod
= as nicely as you please. The waite
J under the lee of that great floating oil
Il stacle was as quiet IS 1t would haE
. been in the lee of hundred-acre is
Il and. 1t WASH so very cold. but v
!, had pulled away from the ship witho'
= any preparation, and as the afternoo
l. wore away we found that our crampe
ii quarters were telling against u
l. Feet, hands and limbs were benumbe
l. and it was plain that we mu
3 have exercise or we would soon
= frostbitten. BY the mates orders Il
boat was drawn into the berg, and
re cot out on secure footing and haul'
D. the craft after us. The mate then to
n US to scatter along the shelf ON whi'
II the bears were lying and stretch o
3. legs and swing our arms, and while
at were at this he overhauled the stOr
~ in the boat. When we finally gather
ae around him again he announced tn
aS he had found lantern and pint
ey oil, two hatchets, a harpoon. three mi
en- kets with powder and ball for abe
w twenty rounds, lot OF matches, t.
ou tins of ships biscuit, q keg of wat
lis and there was the whale line on
,e' reel, and the ice anchor to complete
nc list. We moved along in body
Is where the carcssses were lying, and
es, tho proiection which had STONED In